Serving trollies were very popular years ago but they have recently made a comeback. I remember going to my grandma’s as a child and she would always wheel through a drinks cart from the lounge into the kitchen full of homemade cakes and biscuits. When I think of serving trolleys it reminds me of being at her house enjoying all those lovely cakes. I think she called the one that she had a tea trolley or a hostess trolley.
They are of course not only used in houses but are used in the hospitality trade as well or in-home offices. Today we will look at some of the best ones that are available on the market.
Table of Contents
Top 10 Best Serving Trolleys
1. Langria All Purpose Serving Trolley
This kitchen trolley comes with 3 layers which is great if you have a lot of items. It is made from a sturdy metal material that will not bend or warp over time.
The trolley shelves are quite deep which means they can hold quite a bit and things should not fall off it.
There are 2 lockable castor wheels on the bottom which is great for if the item is not being moved around a lot.
When doing out research we found that users found this item to be a solid well usable piece of kit that can be easily put together. Users particularly like the hooks that are on the side meaning that you can hang things such as tea towels or cloths if you are using it in a restaurant. We can picture this one being wheeled into the dining room or living room full of cakes!
2. Hartleys 3 tier serving trolley
This drinks trolley looks like its built to last with 3 thick shelves on it and look like they are made for heavy-duty stuff.
It is available in black and light blue. I think we prefer the black one as its more likely to fit in with whatever colour your house or restaurant is. It’s a shame that it’s not available in white if we are honest.
The shelves are 66cm x 41.5cm and the gap between the shelves is a decent 30cm which means you can fit plenty in between and the shelf size is perfect for large plates and meals. This will be perfect for a bistro who have to go around and collect lots of large dirty plates.
When doing our research people said that this was easy to put together and using a rubber mallet did help just to knock a few parts in place but once put together people did comment about how sturdy this item is. What people did miss about this was that there were no breaks on the wheels which we also think would have been a nice feature.
3. SoBuy Industrial Vintage Drinks Trolley
This trolley looks the part and is definitely more a drinks trolley. If you own a fancy cafe or restaurant that stands out from the crowd then we think this one that you should definitely consider.
This drinks cart comes with 3 shelves and on the top, you can fit some glasses, cake and condiments. The 2nd shelf does not have a lot of clearance but this would suit some empty plates. Above this and what really makes it stand out is that it hold 4 bottles of wine which are perfect if you specialise in wine and want to take a few bottles to the table for them to sample. I remember going to a cheese tasting class and the teacher had something similar which he wheeled around the classroom when he was bringing out the samples.
The bottom shelf has a high rail around it which means this would suit large glass items or ones that may fall over.
It also has the usual 2 lockable castor wheels to stop it rolling away.
4. Leifheit Side Car Collapsible Table
This trolley is more expensive than some on the list but that’s because its the only one that’s collapsible. We really like this feature as these tables can be a bit big and storage might be an issue for you. When its folded away it has a depth of only 7.5cm. This is perfect for storing in the shed or under the stairs when you are not using it. For such a small table it can hold 15kg on each shelf. The shelf sizes are 60xm x 40cm. It is folded away with 1 simple touch so there’s no undoing screws or messing about.
The one downside to this is that the wheels have no brakes on them which is slightly frustrating but that’s just how it is.
When reading the reviews people liked how easily it glides along the floor as it has larger wheels when compared to other models. The only downside we could find was that the wheels did not have locks in. I think if it had those most people would not have anything bad to say about it.
5. Aidapt Height Adjustable Trolley
Who would have thought there would be so much choice when it comes to serving trolleys? We certainly didn’t before we put this article together but here is another that’s totally different to the 4 above it.
This one looks really robust and industrial and we can imagine it being used in a school canteen. The height can be easily adjusted to ensure that its comfortable to use.
What’s nice about this one is that the shelves come with patented trays which clip on and off very easily. This makes cleaning them a piece of cake.
The castors also have a wheel guard on them which will stop them clogging up and collecting as much dirt and hair as other trolleys.
When doing our research we found that people liked how easy it was to assemble. the 2 trays are attached to the frame when you get it and also the wheels are attached. One person said it took 5 minutes to put together.
This drinks trolley was also popular with disabled users who have trouble moving stuff around the house and commented on how this product had really helped them doing simple things such as moving a cup of tea from the kitchen to their lounge.
6. Langria 4 tier serving trolley
This is the 2nd drinks trolley by Langria that we have covered so far on this list. It is a different product again to all the others as this one has 4 shelves on it. Each shelf is made out of mesh and they are quite deep so that items will not fall out. We were not sure why people might need 4 shelves but when we looked at the pictures a lot of people were using them in their bathrooms and we have to say it really did look good.
This item has locking wheels which we think is a necessary option when it comes to products with wheels on.
When doing our research we found that users were overall very happy with it. A few did comment that it’s not quite as sturdy as they wanted. Users for this were people using it under the stairs to store tins of fruit and veg in as a mini pantry and another lady used it to keep all her yarn and knitting supplies in.
7. Woodluv Bamboo 3 tier storage trolley
This is the first totally wooden kitchen trolley as the rest have all been made out of metal.
We think that this one is definitely more suited to home use rather than industrial use or the catering trade.
This trolley does have lockable wheels which is great.
When doing out research we found that users said it was easy to put together but you will need a drill to do this quickly but they do supply you with a hex key just in case you do not own a drill. One user did note that it was a bit harder than she would have liked when it was pushed on the carpet. We think it could also be used as a side table.
8. HLC stainless steel 3 tier serving trolley
This is a fancy looking item which is made from heavy gauge stainless steel and measures in at 75cm x 40cm x 83.5cm.
When doing our research we found that people really like the big wheels on this one that is similar to a shopping trolley. 2 of the wheels have brakes on which is nice to see. One customer used this for her husband’s dialysis machine and said it did the job really well for this and others commented on just how good it looks.
9. Woodluv MDF 2 tier kitchen trolley
Our final one on the list is from Woodluv and is made from MDF and we think this one looks like it came from Ikea. This would look great in a home office but that’s just our opinion. It could store a printer and some files.
When doing our research we found that people did have some difficulty pushing it around on carpet as the wheels did not move around very well. Overall though people like it and said it was a nice simple basic trolley that was suitable for their needs. One person even said they used it as a side table in their lounge.
Buyers Guide
We have put together a buyers guide for you with something we think you should consider before purchasing a kitchen trolley.
Material
All the ones on the list are made from either steel or wood. There are none made from plastic. What material you choose will depend on what the use is and how long you want it to last. The wooden ones might suit your home office more than a metal one, while the metal ones are probably more suited to use in hospitals as they can be wiped down and cleaned easier. It just depends which one is best for you.
How often is it used?
Is this a product you are going to be using on a daily basis? Where will it be used? These are 2 important things to think about. If it’s being used in a fancy restaurant or cafe then you want one that looks the part. If it’s for just home use and not being used that often then we really like the one that folds up!
Where is it used?
If you have a home bar then one of these could make a great bar cart or drinks trolley.
Price
Most on this list will be way under £100 but we recommend you check the prices on Amazon.
Conclusion
We hope our guide has helped you find the best drinks trolley for you. Of course these are not just for drinks, they are used for a wide range of reasons but they can honestly be used for whatever your needs are.
